Flying Lessons
by Guro of Flowers
Summary: Lily needs flying lessons, so of course she recruits James Potter.
1. Chapter 1

Hello all!

First of all, I'd like to thank the fanfiction author James n Lily r in LOVE for the idea of Lily getting flying lessons.

Next, I need to give my disclaimer: I own nothing.

Now, on with the story.

* * *

"Ok so what do we know about Brett Farrs?" Lily asked herself as she sat on the couch in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room.

"Well, we know plenty, don't we?" Alice answered as she flopped down beside Lily. She glanced around to make sure that no one could overhear them.

"He loves pumpkin pasties, he hates Zonkos because he thinks pranking is a waste of time, and he is a Ravenclaw."

"That's great! He is totally within my reach!" Lily squealed, grabbing her best friend's hands.

"Wait, why aren't you as excited as me? I mean, I've been crushing on him forever!"

"Well Lily, there _is_ one more thing we know about Brett Farrs," Alice added reluctantly.

"There is? What?! Tell me!" Lily questioned frantically. She hated it when people knew things she didn't.

"He loves to fly," Alice answered quietly; she felt guilty she hadn't told Lily right when she had found out last week.

"But- but he's not on the Quidditch team! He couldn't possibly like to fly. He didn't even try out!" Lily said in a rushed breath, trying to find anything that would prove Alice wrong.

If there was one thing she didn't do, it was fly.

"According to Melissa— you know, that perky fifth year that knows everything about everyone— he thinks the competition is silly and flies by himself every night. And apparently, he won't date a girl that can't fly."

Lily groaned.

"Where am I going to find some one to teach me to fly?" She wondered aloud, burying her face in her hands.

"I'll teach you!" A voice sounded behind her.

"Potter! When did you get here!?" Lily screeched, worried that her worst enemy had found out the secret she had been guarding since third year; that she was hopelessly in love with Brett Farrs.

Even just thinking his name sent shivers down her spine.

"Oh I just popped up when I heard you needed someone to teach you how to fly." He said nonchalantly, flipping his fringe away from his eyes.

"And what is your teaching me to fly going to cost?" Lily asked, skeptical that _James Potter_ would do something just to be kind.

"Nothing… Just one little kiss." He patted his lips twice with his index and middle fingers, puckering up.

"Ugh, as if!" Lily said whisking a pillow towards James's head. He ducked it gracefully and laughed.

"Is that the best you can do Evans? I apologize, it was a joke. I didn't know you'd get so mad. Lessons won't cost yah' a thing!"

Lily considered the offer for a moment, and then she had to relent, knowing that James was the best flier in the school.

And whether or not she wanted to admit it, she knew he would make the best teacher.

"Fine. Meet me in the common room tomorrow at 11:30 pm." She wasn't smiling at him, but James grinned anyway.

"I'm assuming I can't tell anyone about this?"

"You bet you can't," Lily growled, glaring as she tugged Alice towards the girl's dormitories.

_j/l j/l j/l_

As 11:30 rolled around, Lily was getting antsy.

What was she thinking?

Flying around in the middle of the night?

What if she was caught sneaking out?

Of course, none of these were real causes for concern, Lily being the teacher's pet she was.

Honestly, she could probably tell the professors that she was dragged out of bed by Mrs. Norris, and they'd all believe her.

No, being caught was hardly a reason for nervousness.

So she had to wonder why she _did _have butterflies in her stomach.

Perhaps it wasn't so much _what _she was doing, as it was _who _she was doing it _with_?

Lily contemplated this possibility as she waited on the couch for James to show up.

* * *

Thanks for reading!

Review please!

Oh, and yes of course, there will be another chapter as quickly as possible. I'm fully aware that this was incredibly short...sorry about that.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

"So, let's go over what you need to do tonight." Remus said flopping down onto James's bed and taking out the list of what James was to do and what he was on no terms to do.

"Compliment her."

"Don't grope her," Sirius chimed in.

"Right. Be patient, it's her first time flying since third year. And after what happened, I'm surprised she wants to fly at all," Remus continued.

James grimaced as he remembered Lily's first encounter with a broom…

**Flashback**

James and the rest of the Marauders were sprawled out in the edge of the Black Lake devising their next prank.

Or rather, James and Sirius were devising the next prank while Remus read and Peter tried hypocritically to get him to "participate in the prank-planning".

Sirius was animatedly explaining his idea involving Snivellus and pink hair dye when James tackled him and smacked a hand over his mouth.

"Prongs, what the he-" Sirius began, but James interrupted.

"Look!" he hissed quietly, pointing towards the castle where Lily Evans and one of her friends were heading towards them.

"What?" Peter whispered, looking confused as usual.

"She has a broom!" James explained, and Remus finally looked up to see for himself.

If there was one thing Lily Evans didn't like- well, besides James Potter- it was flying.

The Marauders retreated into the woods so as to see without being seen.

"Alright, I'm ready," Lily said, obviously determined.

"Just be careful with that broom," the friend warned, looking anxious.

"Remind me why your parents sent you a broom this nice just because you asked?" Lily asked her friend who laughed nervously.

"Yeah, about that..." the friend began.

"Alice," Lily frowned, "what did you do?"

"Don't freak out, Lily, but I might have borrowed it from the quidditch locker room..." Alice trailed off and Lily glared.

"WHAT!?" Lily shrieked.

"We're not on the quidditch team- we're not even allowed to go in there, much less steal a broom!"

"I told you not to freak out. Besides, I'm not stealing, I'm borrowing," Alice muttered indignantly.

"Anyhow," she stated more clearly, "there's no turning back once we've gotten this far."

Lily still seemed a little miffed, but she said nothing.

"Now," Alice said, extracting her wand, "allow me to make this thing easier for you to ride."

"The charm from that quidditch book? Are you sure you should try that?"

"Sure, why not?"

"It's seventh year magic!"

"So?"

"We're in third year!"

Alice shrugged and proceeded anyway.

She waved her wand and whispered the spell so quietly that James couldn't make it out from where he hid.

"Are you sure this is alright?" Lily asked worriedly. Alice huffed.

"Don't you trust me? Hop on!" Alice said enthusiastically, holding the broom out to Lily who took it hesitantly.

With the broom at arms length from Alice, James could get a good look at it.

"That's the Skysweep!" he whispered excitedly to the rest of his group.

"You mean the one that Farrs guy has?" Sirius answered with jealousy for the broom and contempt for the student.

"The one who scoffs at quidditch then flies around at night?"

James nodded and turned his attention back to the scene where Lily was cautiously mounting the broom.

Lily rose about ten feet before the broom started acting like a wild hippogriff.

"Alice!" she yelled. "What did you do to this thing? I thought you knew what you were doing!?"

"Sorry!" Alice called. "I thought so, too!"

Watching Evans fly in senseless squiggles across the sky, all four Marauders burst out laughing.

Alice turned sharply.

"Hey! What are you four doing here?"

When he regained his composure, James answered, "We were here first."

"You!" Lily yelled from the air, not in a kind tone.

But in her anger, she lost her grip and plunged into the Black Lake.

Knowing that she only fell about three feet, James, Sirius, and Peter were again sent into peals of laughter, although Remus had returned to his book.

Alice glared.

"Lily! I'll save you!" Came a voice from a few feet away. Only then did James realize that Severus Snape had arrived.

Snivellus tripped his way to the edge of the lake and reached a hand over to help Evans, but when she grabbed hold, she ended up pulling him headfirst into the shallows.

"Oh!" Lily cried, embarrassed. "Sorry, Sev!"

The broom, which had been wandering around overhead, flew down for a moment and circled Lily as if laughing at her before taking off once more.

Lily, soaking wet and angry, cut off James's laughter with a huge lecture about how he better keep his big mouth shut, while Sirius snickered and reveled in being let off the hook.

When Evans finally dismissed James, he heard Alice groan.

"Why do we even have that stupid Whomping Willow?" she moaned.

James chuckled and glanced at the tree just in time to see the broom fly into its branches and be destroyed.

**End flashback**

**...and chapter**

Review please!

Oh, and sorry it took so long to post a new chapter.

We'll try _really really _hard to get the next chapter up more quickly.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, sorry it took so long, but this was honestly as quick as we could get it out here.

Disclaimer: Guro and I own nothing.

Enjoy!

* * *

"So Lily," James said once Lily had entered the pitch, "You ready for this?"

Lily, her face a delicate white, nodded hesitantly. James smiled ever so slightly as he looked away.

"What are you laughing at?" Lily demanded, already embarrassed enough at having to be within close proximity to him when she knew that her resentment was now slowly dissipating and had been for a while.

"Calm down! I was just remembering the first time you went fly— err, _tried_ to go flying."

Lily smiled in spite of herself.

James grinned back.

"Wow! Did you just smile? Around me? The one person you hate the most? I must be making progress if I can get a smile out of you."

"Don't be getting cocky now Potter. That story is enough to make anyone smile. Even Snape."

"Wait. Did you just call Snivley _Snape_? I thought he was always _Sev_ to you."

"Yes, well some things change; I mean, did you ever really think I would ask you to do me a favor before now?"

James shook his head slowly.

"No... That fight that you guys had in fifth year— the one that I caused— that didn't ruin your friendship did it? Because I don't think I'd be able to live with myself I caused you guys to break up. I mean, you two were the smart version of us."

"Us?" Lily inquired, unsure what he was referring to.

"Yeah, us, the Marauders."

"It must be nice."

"What must be nice?" James asked cocking his head a little to the right and squinting his eyes ever so slightly.

_Has he always done that? _

_Whoa Lily, since when did you start caring about James Potter's confused faces? _

_I don't! __I mean, I was just curious. _

_Suuuure. _

Lily forced her mind back to his words rather than his face.

"It must be nice to have a group of friends you can tell anything to. I mean, I know I have Alice, but I assume it's different when there are four people you can rely on."

Lily paused and glanced up to make sure James was listening.

"I mean you have three different opinions on everything. Three people to tell you that you're being an idiot, that you are a brilliant prankster, and three different opinions on whether or not you should ask someone out."

"Two."

"What?"

"I only have two opinions. I used to have three, but Peter doesn't hang with us that often anymore. It's like we went from having pity to being pitied."

"But, all of you are such great friends! You always have been!"

"Yeah, Sirius, Remus, and I were. Peter was just an add-on. I hate to admit it, but none of us never really liked him that much .He was always too timid, too whiny... But I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh gosh of course! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry! I mean you come down to teach me how to fly and I thank you by being your own personal doctor Phil!"

James once again cocked his head to the right and squinted his eyes just enough to make the area around them wrinkle a bit.

_So he does always do that! It's adorable!_

_Ahem, I mean, it's really annoying._

"Who's Doctor Phil?"

"Oh, he's a muggle psychiatrist who is on TV. People go on his show to talk about relationship problems." Lily answered quickly, blushing as she shook herself out of her reverie.

"Oh....right, I see," he mumbled, obviously not seeing.

"Well, let's get started!" Lily said, laughing internally.

"Sure!" James grinned, glad to get onto a subject he was knowledgeable in. "Oh and Lily?"

"Yes James?" Lily said briskly, trying to keep her mind off of his "excited face" as she dubbed it.

"You weren't prying. I needed someone new to talk to, and I'm glad it was you. You're easy to talk to. I just didn't want to weigh you down with all my problems."

Lily smiled softly.

"You're easy to talk to, too, James. And don't worry; I kind of like listening."

James smiled in return, an odd feeling in his stomach.

Not once had he had a civil conversation with Lily Evans.

The first conversation they had ever had was filled with yelling and screaming, and so had everyone one after.

Actually... they hadn't really had conversations after that.

And yet, for some reason, unknown even to him, he was completely and totally infatuated with her.

Ever since that first time she had called him a bullying toe rag...

**Flashback**

"Hey."

James' head snapped up and his brown eyes met those of a cool grey.

"Have you seen that guy with the greasy black hair?"

James chuckled.

"Yeah, that's Severus Snape."

"I know; my parents tried to make us be best friends when we were younger. It was terrible."

"I can imagine. So I assume you're pureblood if you're hanging out with Snape?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I'm Sirius Black," he introduced himself, a joking tone of grandeur in his voice.

"Oh, well you might as well turn your nose up and walk out, 'cause I'm James Potter," James replied, smirking.

"This is great! I was hoping to be friends with a muggle born to upset my parents, but a _Potter_? Oh this is priceless."

"What makes you think I'll be friends with a Black?" James questioned, a smile threatening to break over his face.

"Because I'll torture you if you don't," Sirius said, so nonchalant that it sent chills up James' back.

"Touché...but you wouldn't really do that would you?"

"Of course not!" Sirius said, laughing. "I'm the black sheep of the family!"

That set the two into gales of laughter, only to be interrupted when Severus Snape appeared in their cabin.

"Get out of here, Snape!" Sirius demanded, pushing the new arrival into the lavatory situated across the walkway.

Seconds after, an angry red head came storming down the hall.

"What is wrong with you two?"

She looked directly at James and hissed venomously, "You bullying toe rag!"

She pulled Severus out of the toilet, and they marched away superiorly; or they marched as superiorly as possible with a bum wet with toilet water, in Snape's case.

**End Flashback**

"So let's get started shall we?" James asked Lily, who had been staring at James's face as he relived the glory days, with a bow.

"Yes, we shall," Lily answered curtseying in the midst of laughing.

* * *

The end. Of the chapter, I mean.

Was the chapter too short? Too long? Do flashbacks bother you? Let us hear your opinions. Review!

Thanks for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

I know, it's short (again) and it took months (again), but I hope you enjoy anyway!

* * *

"Lily you know you're actually going to have to get on the broom in order to learn to fly, right?" James said after forty seconds of watching Lily stand there staring at her broom.

"What? Oh yeah, I know... I just... can't" Lily said, blushing."What do you mean you can't? Of course you can!" James said in a half confused half exasperated voice.

"Well I know I can... But I can't!" Lily responded starting to get angry after hearing the exasperation in James' voice.

"Lily you're being completely illogical. It's just a broom- it doesn't bite," James reasoned, trying to use humor to placate her. Unfortunately for him, Lily had never really learned to respond to humor when she was stressed.

"I _know_ it doesn't bite James! I'm not an idiot!" Lily snapped at him. "But, what if I fall off?" she asked, her voice growing smaller and more timid with every word.

"Lils, I won't let you fall off. I promise." James answered, using the same reassuring voice he used with Remus when his werewolf friend started doubting his self worth.

"How are you going to stop me? You'll be on another broom! And I don't care what you say; you will not be able to fly fast enough to stop me from falling straight onto the ground and going splat!" Lily said hysterically as images of her falling and 'splatting' ran through her mind.

"Well then how about this: we'll go on the same broom— I won't try anything!" He said in protest as Lily's mouth opened in disapproval.

"Anyway, we'll go on the same broom until you're comfortable enough to go by yourself. Sound good?" Lily nodded as she tried to take deep breaths.

"Ok then! Let's go!" James practically yelled, once again his happy and loud self.

"See Lils, that wasn't so bad, was it?" James asked, flipping his hair out of his eyes as they landed on the ground.

"Are you kidding me? That was absolutely terrifying!" She contradicted, though her eyes agreed with him.

"You liar! You might have thought that at first, but admit it, you had fun!" James said with absolute certainty.

Lily allowed a bit of a smile, "Well, maybe. Anyway, same time tomorrow?"

"Sounds good to me!" James nodded, "See you tomorrow Lils." James turned and started to retreat, until Lily stopped him.

"Wait! Why do you keep calling me Lils?" She asked, her eyebrows pushing together out of confusion.

"It's your nickname. I mean, come on, I'm sure I'm not the first person to call you Lils." James said, incredulous.

But she shook her head. "No, none of my friends ever bothered. I guess because my names so short already, they didn't see the point."

She spoke her words easily, true as they were. But, somehow, she couldn't help wondering if she hadn't been given a nickname before because the wizard in front of her was the first to really care.

"That's nonsense," James said, and for a moment Lily wondered if she had spoken her irrational theory aloud.

But he continued, "Everyone needs a nickname." And he turned back around and headed back up to the castle, bursting with happiness and preparing how to break it Sirius and Remus that he had just spent an hour on a broom with Lily Evans hugging him as hard as she possibly could. He didn't even care if it was out of fright rather than affection. In his mind, a hug was a hug.

* * *

James is SO the best character to write fanfiction about (just my opinion).

Thanks for reading. Please review!

~Guro of Flowers


	5. Chapter 5

Last Chapter!

Which I'm sure you're excited about because it means no more waiting :D

* * *

Lily looked beautiful as she practically danced into the Great Hall the next morning.

"It's too early to be so happy," he heard Alice groan as she followed less enthusiastically. "Why are you so happy again?"

Lily beamed.

"I told you!" she gushed. "The flying lessons went perfectly!"

James smiled smugly as the two continued to their seats and out of his range of hearing.

"Oi, Prongs. What's with the happy face?" Sirius questioned. "If you didn't notice, she just completely ignored you."

"She didn't see me," James assured him, watching food quickly disappear from his plate.

Sirius choked down a biscuit in one bite. "She walked like two feet away from you and didn't say anything."

"I didn't say anything either," James said, eyebrows furrowing.

"Yeah, but you were staring right at her. She avoided eye contact."

"I'm just saying," he added. "So why does she want to fly so suddenly, anyway?"

"Because you're a prick," James snapped, fending off his best mate as he tried to steal his toast. "Has anyone every given you a genuine compliment that wasn't about your looks?"

"Are you calling me handsome?" Sirius grinned, using his hand to fan himself with great flourish.

"Oh, shut it."

"Touchy, aren't we?"

James glared.

j/l j/l j/l

"Glad you enjoyed your lessons," Alice said. "James can't seem to stop thinking about them, either."

"Oh?" Lily glanced over to where the boy in question appeared to be glaring at a laughing Sirius Black.

"Mhmm. In fact, he only stopped staring the second you turned to look."

"Really?" she murmured, a smile beginning to form.

"Yep. Not that it matters. Look who else can't keep their eyes off of you."

Lily flicked her gaze over to the Ravenclaw table and found herself looking straight into the eyes of Brett Farrs.

She whipped her head back around to face Alice. "Why is _he_ looking at me?"

Her friend stared like she had grown a second head. "Lily, that's a _good_ thing. You _want _him to look at you. To _fall _for you." She said the last part in a cheesy French accent, with a grand flourish of her hands and a far-away look in her eyes.

"No it's not!" Lily protested.

"And why not?" Alice challenged. "You didn't make such a scene when I told you Potter was staring."

It was true. Lily paused, floundering around in her mind for comeback. "I just mean…well, why _is_ he looking at me? He only dates girls who can fly, and as far as he knows, I still can't," she stammered. "If he's looking already, then it means the, erm, _awful_ flying lessons were for nothing."

It wasn't until she saw Alice's nervous expression that she realized it was a perfectly valid point.

"About that…" Lily's friend began. "You see…don't get angry, but I kind of told Melissa what you were doing with James."

"What?" Lily exclaimed, thrilled that she was no longer the one being questioned. "That preppy fifth-year gossip?"

"I just told her this morning," Alice defended herself. "I didn't know anyone could possibly spread news that quickly."

"Alice! Of course she told him! They're both in Ravenclaw, and—"

"And she's my cousin," a deep voice sounded behind her. She turned to face the smirking Brett Farrs and smiled shyly. "Let's take a walk," he suggested, and Alice hurried her out of her seat excitedly while Lily glared.

j/l j/l j/l

"Brett I—" she paused, unsure what to say as she looked into the eyes of the person she'd been willing to fly for yesterday.

"Don't be embarrassed, Lily. You don't have to explain anything," Brett told her gently. "Melissa already told me how you were so desperate for me to just _look_ at you for once, that you broke both arms while trying to learn to fly."

Lily folded her apparently 'broken' arms and raised an eyebrow. "What?"  
"And you're getting lessons from _Potter_ no less," he snorted.

"What wrong with Potter?" she glared, but Brett continued, apparently not noticing.

"You could have asked anyone else in the entire school…"

"I asked Alice to teach me, back in third year," Lily answered honestly, "but it didn't go too well."

"Does she fly?" he asked, surprise evident on his face. "I don't recall her ever being in your quidditch group or team, or whichever you call it."

"Not well," Lily admitted. "And no, she doesn't play quidditch."

"Then how come she had a broom?" he persisted. "You're not supposed to have one at school if you don't play. I should know; I have special permission to have mine."

Lily refrained from rolling her eyes at the arrogant comment. "Well, I think she had borrowed one from the quidditch locker room. Oh yes, I remember. It was a really nice one, too. It's a funny story really, considering how it flew off into the Whomping Willow after…" she trailed off at the horrified look on Brett's face.

"What type of broom was it?" he murmured. "A Skysweep?"

"You're asking me?" Lily laughed nervously, understanding what he was implying.

Brett was not amused. "I can't believe it was you," he muttered, backing away slowly.

"But it wasn't!" Lily objected. "Alice got it from the quidditch locker room! You hate quidditch!"

"Where else do you think I would store it?" he wailed despairingly. "So that's how it ended for old Sweepy. Demolished by a tree! Oh, the horrors."

"Brett?" Lily asked carefully, taking a step towards where he was curled up on the floor.

"Don't come near me!" he cried, and Lily raised an eyebrow, worried for his sanity.

"Just go," he whispered, and Lily took off at a run.

j/l j/l j/l

"I'm so sorry I ruined it for you!" Alice moaned for the millionth time after Lily explained what happened.

"I told you, it doesn't matter!" Lily assured her friend. "Anyway…I think I'm falling for someone else," she added.

"Lily, you're taking flying lessons with _Potter_ for Brett! What happened?"

"Well, I started to hang out with some one else... And— hear me out!" She cried upon seeing Alice roll her eyes. "I really think he could be 'the one'."

Alice's mouth opened into a perfect oh, before changing into a wide smile. "Well, then tell me about him!" she gushed, ever the hopeless romantic.

Lily smiled shyly, a slight blush gracing her cheeks "Well, he's really funny, handsome, totally trust worthy, understanding, dedicated, he has a bunch of really cool skills—"

"Wait, how do you know all this about him? I thought you just started hanging out with him!"

"You learn a lot about a person when they teach you how to fly." Lily replied slyly, hoping Alice would get the hint.

"Teaching you to fly... OH MY GOSH YOU LIKE PO-"

"Alice could you scream any louder?" Lily demanded her hand clamped firmly over Alice's mouth as she dragged her out of the great hall.

j/l j/l j/l

"What did Alice say? Who does Lily like?" James demanded over at his table, his eyes flickering wildly between Sirius and Remus, waiting for answers.

"I don't know, but it has to be some one other than Brett Farrs... I mean, if Alice already knew who, then she wouldn't have screamed." Remus replied logically.

For the first time in years, James got a warm, glowing feeling in the pit of his stomach. Was Lily finally giving him a chance?

"James! Wait up!" James slowed his jogging to a mere walking, not even caring that he was going to be late for detention and was probably getting another one for that very reason. He'd risk any number of detentions for Lily.

"Hey Lils, we still on for tonight?"

Lily bit her lip, "Actually, I'm not trying to get Brett, erm... I mean, I don't need to learn how to fly any more."

James face fell. "Oh... well that's okay. I guess I'll see you around then..."

"What I mean is, I don't need to learn to fly, but I want to!" she said, but she frowned slightly at the thought of getting back on a broom.

"Lily, I know you better than that," he told her, turning away. "You don't need to try to preserve my feelings. I'm a big boy."

"Okay, you're right. I don't want to learn to fly... but I'd like to continue to spend time with you."

James's eyes got wide as he looked at Lily with a childlike expression of happiness.

"Well, I could arrange that," he said after a quick pause. "I mean, Hogsemeade is tomorrow."

"Great! I'll meet you in the common room at ten!" She turned and walked away, her red hair shaking from the extra bounce that had been added to her step.

"Lily?"

"Yeah?" She turned around to face a hesitant-looking James.

"You know, I meant like... a date, right?"

Lily smiled and nodded her head. "Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"You mean—"

She turned back around, smiling at James's expression— a mixture of happiness and shock—and kissed him.

* * *

End chapter and Flying Lessons

Thanks so much to everyone who stuck with it!

3

~Guro of Flowers


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